Protective case for use with device grip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019281960-A1
Application number	US-201916275969-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 14, 2019
Priority date	Mar 15, 2018
Publication date	Sep 19, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A protective case system includes an extendable device grip and a protective case. The extendable device grip includes an attachment mechanism and has a stowed configuration and extended configuration. The protective case includes a shell and a receiver. The shell is configured for receiving and removably retaining an electronic device. The shell has at least a back wall and side walls. The outer surface of the back wall of the shell includes a recessed or concave area. The extendable device grip is removably attachable to the receiver for removably attaching the extendable device grip to the protective case. The receiver is positioned in the recessed or concave area of the back wall of the shell such that at least a portion of the extendable device grip is within the recessed area when the extendable device grip is attached to the protective case and is in the stowed configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A protective case system for use with an electronic device, the protective case system comprising:
an extendable device grip having an attachment mechanism, the extendable device grip having a stowed configuration and extended configuration, wherein the extendable device grip is configured to be transitioned between the stowed configuration and the extended configuration by a user; and a protective case comprising:
a shell configured for receiving and removably retaining the electronic device, the shell having at least a back wall and side walls, the back and side walls of the shell configured to cover at least a portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the shell, wherein an outer surface of the back wall of the shell includes a recessed area; and
a receiver to which the attachment mechanism of the extendable device grip is removably attachable for removably attaching the extendable device grip to the protective case, wherein the receiver is positioned in the recessed area of the outer surface of the back wall of the shell such that at least a portion of the extendable device grip is within the recessed area when the extendable device grip is attached to the protective case and is in the stowed configuration.

2 . The protective case system of claim 1 wherein the attachment mechanism of the extendable device grip is rotatably attachable to the receiver of the protective case.

3 . The protective case system of claim 1 wherein the extendable device grip includes a collapsible tapered accordion structure for transitioning the extendable device grip between the extended configuration and the stowed configuration.

4 . The protective case system of claim 1 wherein one or both of the receiver and the attachment mechanism include a snap retention feature for retaining the extendable device grip to the protective case.

5 . The protective case system of claim 1 wherein both the extendable device grip and the recessed area of the shell have round shapes.

6 . The protective case system of claim 1 wherein the entire extendable device grip is within the recessed area when the extendable device grip is attached to the protective case and is in the stowed configuration.

7 . The protective case system of claim 1 wherein a gap is present between a rim of the recessed area and a top edge of the extendable device grip when the extendable device grip is attached to the protective case and is in the stowed configuration

8 . A protective case for use with an electronic device and with an extendable device grip having an attachment mechanism, the extendable device grip having a stowed configuration and extended configuration, the protective case comprising:
a shell configured for receiving and removably retaining the electronic device, the shell having at least a back wall and side walls, the back and side walls of the shell configured to cover at least a portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is removably installed in the shell, wherein an outer surface of the back wall of the shell includes a concave area; and a receiver to which the extendable device grip is rotatably attachable for removably attaching the extendable device grip to the protective case, wherein the receiver is positioned in the concave area of the outer surface of the back wall of the shell such that the extendable device grip is substantially within the concave area of the shell when the extendable device grip is attached to the protective case and is in the stowed configuration.

9 . The protective case of claim 8 wherein the receiver is permanently affixed to the shell.

10 . The protective case of claim 8 wherein the receiver is molded into the shell.

11 . The protective case of claim 8 wherein the outer surface of the back wall of the shell slopes upward from the sides walls to a rim of the concave area.

12 . The protective case of claim 8 wherein the receiver includes a snap retention feature having an interference fit with the attachment mechanism of the extendable device grip for removably retaining the extendable device grip.

13 . The protective case of claim 8 further comprising an inner cushioning liner affixed to an interior surface of the shell.

14 . A protective case system for use with an electronic device, the protective case system comprising:
an extendable device grip configured for assisting a user in holding the electronic device; and a protective case comprising:
a body configured for receiving and removably retaining the electronic device, the body having at least a back wall and side walls, the back and side walls configured to cover at least a portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the body; and
a grip aperture extending through the back wall of the body, the grip aperture having a size and a shape adapted to permit direct attachment of the device grip to a back surface of the installed electronic device through the grip aperture, wherein the back wall of the body has a contoured shape configured such that an outer edge of the grip aperture is proximate the distal end of the device grip when the device grip is attached to the installed electronic device and is in a storage position.

15 . The protective case system of claim 14 wherein an envelope thickness of the protective case at one or more of the sidewalls is less than an envelope thickness of the body at the grip aperture.

16 . The protective case system of claim 14 wherein the back of the body includes an outer surface and the contoured shape of the outer surface includes a sloped region between the outer edge of the grip aperture and one or more of the side walls.

17 . The protective case system of claim 14 wherein a top edge of the extendable device grip includes a recess configured for receiving a fingernail for facilitating the extension of the extendable device grip from the storage position to a use position.

18 . A protective case for use with an electronic device and a device grip, the protective case comprising:
a body adapted for receiving and removably retaining the electronic device, the body having at least a back wall and side walls, the back and side walls adapted to cover at least a portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the body; and a grip aperture extending through the back wall of the body, the grip aperture having a size and a shape adapted to facilitate direct attachment of the device grip to a back surface of the installed electronic device through the grip aperture, wherein the back wall of the body has a non-planar shape and is adapted such that an outer edge of the grip aperture is proximate the distal end of the device grip when the device grip is attached to the installed electronic device and is in a storage position.

19 . The protective case of claim 18 wherein the outer edge of the grip aperture is substantially flush with the distal end of the device grip when the device grip is attached to the installed electronic device and is in the storage position.

20 . The protective case of claim 18 further including an outer cushion layer adapted to be removably installed over at least a portion of the body of the protective case, wherein the outer cushion layer includes an aperture that coincides with the grip aperture.

Assignees

• Otter Products Llc

Inventors

• Peterson Joshua K
• Johnson Jamie L
• Beck Alyson J
• Rodriguez Dustin S

Classifications

• A45C11/00 Primary

  Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 (specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48) · CPC title

• A45C2200/15

  Articles convertible into a stand, e.g. for displaying purposes · CPC title

• A45F2005/008

  Hand articles fastened to the wrist or to the arm or to the leg · CPC title

• A45F5/00 Primary

  Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping · CPC title

• A45C2011/003

  Human Necessities · mapped topic